Oscillating electric fan



Aug". 6, 1940.

J. .1. GOUGH OSCILLATING ELECTRI C FAN Filed Oct. 6, 1938 14 1&6

2 Sheets-Shet 1 IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEY-5,

J. J. GOUGH OSCILLATING ELECTRIC FAN Aug. 6, 1940.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 6, 1938 M 7 mwv h J m 2 aw W F B r MATTORNEY?v Patented Aug. 6, 1940 UNETE. Fi'lA'iES Z,Zl0,865

PATENT OFFlCE 1i) 'Claiins.

This invention relates to an oscillating fan.

It is an object of this invention to provide an electric fan of theoscillating type having all of the parts of the mechanism which causescscillation enclosed within the motor housing so that these parts may beproperly lubricated, thereby decreasing the maintenance cost andincreasing the trouble free life of the fan and so that the beauty andcleanliness of the fan may 0 be enhanced.

Another object of the invention is to provide in an oscillating electricfan an improved driving mechanism for oscillating the fan, whichmechanism is inexpensive in construction; eflicient in .5 operation; andin which the driving gears and related shafts are protected against dustand dirt and maintained properly lubricated.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a novelmechanism readily operable 50 to render the oscillating mechanismineffective.

Other and further objects and advantages will be apparent from thefollowing specification when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein: Y

55 Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a fan embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical section taken along the line 2-2 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, plan view showing 50 the motor housing and partof the oscillating mechanism taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary, Vertical section taken substantiallyalong the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a further enlarged vertical section taken substantially alongthe line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section showing a portion of Fig. 5, but withcertain parts in a different position of adjustment;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, vertical section taken along the line 1-1 ofFig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, horizontal section taken along the line 88 ofFig. '7.

; As shown in the drawings, a base casting 2 is provided with feet 4 andan upstanding, forwardly inclined arm 6.

The arm 6 adjustably supports at its upper end, by means of a thumbscrew or bolt 8, a block if! upon which the fan proper is mounted. Thefan proper comprises a propeller [2, comprising a plurality of bladesmounted on the shaft M of the motor H6. The. usual fan guard l8 enclosesthe Propeller 12.

The motor shaft l4, adjacent its rear end, is journalled in a bushing 20mounted in a bracket 22. The bracket 22 comprises a generally U- shapedstrap 24 having outwardly turned flanges receiving the bolts 28 by whichthe laminations of the motor stator 29 are retained in as seiner-ledrelation. The bracket 22 also comprises 5 a substantially U-shaped strap30 having outwardly turned flanges secured by screws 32 to the base ofthe U-shaped strap 2%. The straps 2d and 39 of the bracket 22 areprovided with struck out portions 3 1 forming a mounting for the 10bushing 23, and the bushing 26) is non-rotatably secured to the bracketby an inwardly struck lug or rib 38. A. lubricant retaining washer 33,of felt or similar material, is mounted within the housing formed by thestraps 24 and 3E and sur- 15 rounds the bushing 20.

The oscillating mechanism 4t comprises a worm gear 42 formed on orsecured to the rear end of the motor shaft H1. The worm gear 42 mesheswith a worm wheel l i, secured to a stud shaft 46 journalled in the sidewalls of a housing 6.8, preferably formed of aluminum casting andsecured by the screws 32 to the strap 24 of the bracket 22.

A second worm gear 50 is secured to or formed on one end of the studshaft 68 and meshes with the worm wheel 52 journalled by a bushing 54 ona vertical shaft 56. The gear 52 is formed on or secured to a frictiondriving cone 58, and the gear 52 and the cone 58 are secured againstaxial movement on the bushing 54 by means of the annular shoulder 60 andthe peened-over end 62 of the bushing.

' The friction cone 58 forms one part of a manually controlled clutch64, the driven member of which comprises a sleeve 66 splined to thevertical shaft 56 for axial movement relative thereto and for rotationtherewith. The cone-engaging bottom surface of the sleeve 66 isroughened or otherwise treated to increase the frictional engagementwith the cone, or the sleeve may, itself, be made of compressed fibre orother material embodying such a cone-engaging friction surface.

The sleeve 65 is slidably and rotatably journalled in the detachablecover plate 88 of the housing 48 as seen in Figs. 5 and 6. 45

Control means 10 for the sleeve 66 comprises a bent lever or platehavingarms 12 and 74 fulcrumed at the point of bend on the cover plate 68 ofthe housing 48. The lever or plate is guided for 50 movement from theposition shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 6 by a pin 16upstanding from the cover plate 68 and passing through an enlargedopening I8 in the arm 12 of the lever. Movement of the lever iscontrolled by a 55 manually operable cam 80, pivoted by cap screw 82 tothe upstanding flange 84 of the cover plate 68. The cam is provided atits lower edge with diverging plane cam surfaces 86 and 88 which engagethe free edge of the arm I2 of the control lever or plate. These camsurfaces 86 and 88 act not only to move the control lever or plate intoits different settings, but also to retain said lever or plate in thosesettings. At its upper end the cam 80 is provided with a detachableinternally threaded operating knob 80.

The arm I4 of the control lever or plate is bifurcated, and thefurcations 92 thereof are re ceived within an annular groove 94 in thesleeve 66. A coil spring 96, produced from stock which is preferablyrectangular in cross-section, is interposed between the annular flange98 of the sleeve 66 and a collar or nut I00 threaded onto the upper endof the vertical shaft 56. The spring 96 urges the sleeve 66 into drivingengagement with the friction cone 58, and the collar I00 provides meansfor adjusting the tension of the spring to determine the drivingpressure between the cone 58 and the sleeve 66. r

The vertical shaft 56 is journalled by the sleeve 66 and the bushing 54in the part circular end wall I02 and the cover plate 68 of the housing48. As shown in Fig. 5, the bushing 54 at its lower end is provided withan enlarged circular portion I04 which engages the inner surface of thepart.

circular end wall I02 of the housing so as to be journalled therein. Agear I06 is keyed to the shaft 56 adjacent its lower end, and this gearmeshes with a gear I08 secured to a vertical stud shaft IIO journalledin a bearing block H2, formed on or secured to the bottom wall II2 ofthe housing 48.

An internally threaded sleeve or nut H4 is received on the lowerthreaded end of the vertical shaft 56, providing a thrust bearing, thesleeve being received in a slightly larger opening in the bottom wallII2. Lubricant-retaining washers II6 may be interposed between the gearsI06 and I08 and the bottom wall II2 so as to prevent escape'of lubricantfrom the housing 48.

The stud shaft I I0 has secured to its lower end, as by a set screw II8, a crank I20, the free end of which is pivotally connected, as by acap screw I22, to an oscillating link I24. The oscillating link I24 ispivotally connected at its other end to a fixed crank I26, secured tothe upper end of a pin I28, held against rotation in the block I0 as bya set screw I30.

It will be apparent that as the motor shaft I4 rotates, the worm wheel52 will be correspondingly rotated to drive the friction cone 58 of theclutch 64. When the sleeve 66 of this clutch is in driving engagementwith the cone 58 the shaft 56 will be rotated to rotate the crank Ithrough the gears I06 and I08 and the stud shaft IIO."

Since the oscillating link I24 is pivoted at one end to the fixed crankI26, rotation of the crank I20 will, in the customary manner, cause theoscillation of the fan about the pin I28. Rotation of the operating cam60 in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 5, to the position shown inFig. v6,

willcause the sleeve 66 to be moved axially of the shaft 56 out ofengagement with the driving cone 58, thereby to break the drivingconnection to this shaft and render the oscillating mechanisminoperative.

Themotor I6 and the oscillating mechanism 40 arecompletely enclosedwithin the same housing or streamlined casing I 30. The casing I pref--verablycomprisesa forward sheet metal section I32, enclosing the forwardportion of the motor and supporting the fan guard I8, which may besecured to it as by welding, soldering, or by a suitable fasteningelement. The casing also comprises a rear bullet-shaped or streamlinedsheet metal section I34, enclosing the rear portion of the motor and theoscillating mechanism 40. The front and rear sections I62 and I34 of thecasing are secured in assembled relation by a central sheet metalsection I36, which preferably comprises a ring having inwardly turnedannular flanges overlying the outwardly turned peripheral flanges I38and I40 of the front and rear sections, respectively. The opposed edgesand theflanges I38 and I40 of the front and rear sections preferablyabut the opposite sides of the stator 29 so as to be clampedthereagainst by the ring I36.

The ring I36 is secured, as by screws I4I, to the opposed upstandingflanges I42 of a base plate I44. The flanges I42 are'cut away toreceive, in the groove thus formed, the stator 29 so that the plate I44forms a support for the motor as well as I the motor casing, and assuressimultaneous rotation of the plate with the motor.

The bottoms of the front and rear sections I32 and I34 of the casing I30are centrally offset, as at I46 and I48, respectively, to provide asubstantially horizontal portion, permitting these sec tions to be setover the bottom plate I44 and in closing relation therewith, as seen inFig. 4. The supporting plate I44 is rotatably journalled in the block I0and on the pin I28 by means of a needle bearing I49, a sleeve I and awasher E52, the washer encircling the sleeve and interposed between thebearing I49 and the plate I44. The sleeve I50 is secured to the plateI44 as by peening over the end of the sleeve. The needle bearing I49comprises a plurality of vertically disposed needle-like rollers I53received within a relatively rotatable annular casing I54 substantiallyU-shaped in cross section. The sleeve is rotatably received by theneedles I53, and in turn is journalled on the pin I28. The washer I52 isinterposed between the plate I 4.4 and the upper edge of the block I0.

The front andrear sections I32 and I34 of the casing I30 are providedwiththe usual ventilating openings, permitting the circulation ofcooling air to the motor.

It will .be seen from the foregoing description that applicant hasprovided an electric fan of the oscillating type, having all of theparts of the oscillating mechanism, including the gearing mechanism andoscillating link, and the fixed crank or pin completely enclosed withinthe motor housing which is journalled for oscillation in a compact andhighly eficient manner on the fixed fan support,and that there is alsomounted in this casing-a novel control mechanism of simple and elficientconstruction for rendering the oscillating mechanism ineffective, whichcontrol mechanism is provided with means for readily "operating the sameexternally of the casing.

Changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangements of theseveral parts without departing from the spirit of the invention orsacrificing any of its attendant advantages, and the right is herebyreserved to make all such changes .as fairly fall within the scope ofthe following claims. 2

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

LAn electric fan, an oscillating mechanism comprising..azmotorfioperated Sdriving shaft, a

driven shaft, a housing in which said driven shaft is journaled,releasable driving connections between the driving and driven shafts,said connections including clutch means com prising a driving memberjournaled n the driven shaft, a driven member secured to the drivenshaft for rotation therewith but mov- .able axially thereof into and outof engagement with the driving clutch member, said driven clutch memberhaving an operating portion projecting out of said housing, a levermeans fulcrumed upon said housing externally thereof and engaging theprojecting portion of the driven clutch member to move the same axiallyof the driven shaft and a cam for operating said lever to move thedriven clutch member out of engagement with the driving clutch memberand means engaging the projecting portion of the driven clutch memberfor resiliently urging the driven clutch member into engagement with thedriving clutch member.

2. In an electric fan, a stationary support, a motor, a supportingmember for oscillatably mounting the motor on the stationary support, amotor casing comprising front and rear sections overlapping saidmounting member and a central section secured to said mounting memberand joining said front and rear sections, an oscillating mechanismcomprising a gear reducing and oscillation control clutch mechanismmounted within the rear section of the casing and a driven oscillatinglink extending from the rear section into the central section, amanually operable clutch control member mounted within the rear sectionof the motor casing and projecting through a wall thereof formanipulation external of the casing and means including a pin secured tothe support and projecting through the mounting member at its point ofoscillation into the central section of the casing, and a crank pivotedto the oscillating link and non-rotatably secured to said pin.

3. An electric fan comprising a stationary support, a motor, a casingproviding a chamber in which said motor is mounted, means foroscillatably mounting the casing on the stationary support, said meanscomprising a sleeve secured to said casing and projecting into saidsupport and a combined thrust and journal bearing for said casing andsaid sleeve comprising a plurality of rollers encircling said member anda roller retaining housing rotatably supporting said casing, anoscillating mechanism mounted within the same chamber as the motor andcompletely enclosed within said casing and a member secured to saidsupport and projecting through said sleeve to provide an inter-l naljournal bearing for said sleeve and to pro-' vide a stationary elementwithin the casing to which the oscillating mechanism is connected tocompel oscillation of the fan relative to the support.

4. An electric fan including an oscillating mechanism comprising adriving shaft, a driven shaft, a housing adapted to receive lubricatingmaterial and in which said driving and driven shafts are journaled,releasable driving connections between said driving and driven shafts,said connections including a driving clutch member journaled on thedriven shaft, a driven clutch member, but movable axially thereof intoand out of engagement with the driving clutch member, said driven clutchmember being slidably and rotatably journaled in and projecting out ofone wall of said housing to prevent escape of the lubricating material,but to permit operation of the driven clutch member, means external ofthe housing and operatively engaging the projecting portion of thedriven clutch member to move the same axially of the driven shaft, amotor for operating said driving shaft, a

casing enclosing said motor, said oscillating mechanism and saidhousing, and said manually operable means including a member projectingthrough said casing for manipulation externally thereof to control adriven clutch member, thereby to render said oscillatingmechanism'eifective or ineffective.

5. An electric fan, an oscillating mechanism comprising a driving shaft,a driven shaft, a housing in which said driven shaft is journaled,releasable driving connections between the driving and driven shafts,said connections including clutch means comprising a driving memberjournaled on the driven shaft, a driven member secured to the drivenshaft for rotation therewith but movable axially thereof into and out ofengagement with the driving clutch member, said driven clutch memberhaving an operating portion projecting out of said housing, a levermeans fulcrumed upon said housing externally thereof and engaging theprojecting portion of the driven clutch member to move the same axiallyof the driven shaft, a motor for operating the driving shaft, a casingproviding a chamber in which said motor and all of said oscillatingmechanism is mounted, a base, a pin carried by said base and projectinginto said chamber to provide a bearing for said casing and. a stationaryelement to which the oscillating mechanism may be connected to compeloscillation of the fan, a pivoted cam in said casing having a manuallyoperable portion projecting out of said casing and having divergingplane faces alternately engageable with said lever means to move thedriven clutch member out of engagement with the driving clutch member,and spring means within said casing for urging the driven clutch memberinto engagement with the driving clutch member.

6. In an electric fan, a motor, a casing providing a chamber in whichthe motor is disposed, said casing comprising front and rear sectionsdisposed in spaced relationship, a central mounting member comprising agenerally channelshaped member having a continuous bottom wall andupstanding side walls dismsed between the spaced sections at the bottomportion thereof, said sections having portions sectionally complementaryto the channel member and engaging the extremities of said channelmember to pro vide said casing with a central lower recess, said casinghaving a central section joining said front and rear sections and fixedat its extremities to said channel member, an oscillating mechanismlocated completely within said casing and extending into said central,lower recess, supporting means exteriorly of the casing comprising abearing block below the channel member and coopcrating with the lowerexterior face of the channel member to provide a supporting bearing forsaid casing, an aperture within said channel member above said block,and a pin fixedly projecting from said block and extending through saidaperture, said pin being free from supporting inter-connection with saidmotor or casing and being operatively connected to said oscillatingmechanism to compel oscillation of the fan.

7. In an electric fan, a motor, a casing providing a chamber in whichthe motor is disposed,

said casing comprising front and rear sections disposed in spacedrelationship, a central mounting member extending between the sectionsat the bottom of the casing, a central section secured to said mountingmember and joining said front and rear sections, a support including abearing block disposed below said casing, said bearing block operativelycooperating with the lower surface of said mounting member to rotatablysupport the casing, an oscillating mechanism mounted completely withinthe casing and operatively driven by saidmotor, and a pin fixedlprojecting from said bearing block through an aperture in said mountingmember, said pin, at a point within the casing, being engaged by saidoscillating means to compel oscillation of the fan relative to said pin.

8. In an electric fan, a motor, a casing provid-' Qing a chamber inwhich the motor is disposed,

said casing comprising front and rear sections disposed in spacedrelationship, a central mounting member extending between the sectionsat the bottom of the casing, a central section secured to said mountingmember and joining said front and rear sections, a support including abearing block disposed below said casing, said bearing block operativelycooperating with the lower surface of said mounting member to rotatablysupport the casing, an oscillating mechanism mounted completely withinthe casing and operatively driven by said motor, and a pin fixedlyprojecting from said bearing block through an aperture in said mountingmember, said pin, at a point within the casing, being engaged by saidoscillating means to compel oscillation of the fan relative to said pin,said pin being free from supporting connection with said motor.

9. In an electric fan, a motor, a casing providing a chamber in whichthe motor is disposed, said casing comprising front and rear sectionsdisposed in spaced relationship-a central mounting member extendingbetween "the sections at the bottom of the casing, a central sectionsecured to said mounting member and joining said front and rearsections, a support including a bearing block disposedbelow said casing,said bearing block operatively cooperating with the lower surface ofsaid mounting member to rotatably support the casing, an oscillatingmechanism mounted completely within the casing and operatively driven bysaid motor, and a pin fixedly projecting from said bearing block throughan aperture in said mounting member, said pin, at

a point within the casing, being engaged by said oscillating means tocompel oscillation of the,

fan relative to said pin, said mounting member comprising a channelhaving its central web forming a bottom wall of said casing, said frontand rear sections having lower portions sectionally complementary tosaid channel and overlapping the extremities of said channel.

10. In an electric fan, a motor, a casing providing a chamber in whichthe motor is disposed, said casing comprising front and rear sectionsdisposed in spaced relationship, a central mounting member extendingbetween the sections at the bottom of the casing, a central sectionsecured to said mounting member and joining said front and rearsections, a support including a bearing block disposed below saidcasing, said bearing block operatively cooperating with the lowersurface of said mounting member to rotatably support the casing, anoscillating mechanism mounted completely within the casing andoperatively driven by said motor, and a pin fixedly projecting from saidbearing block through an aperture in said mounting member, said pin,

at a point within the casing, being engaged by said oscillating means tocompel oscillation of the fan relative to said pin, said mounting membercomprising a channel having its central web forming a bottom wall ofsaid casing, said front and rear sections having lower portions section-'ally complementary to said channel and overlapping the extremities ofsaid channel, and said central section having its extremities fixed tothe side web of said channel whereby said casing is provided withsubstantially continuous walls.

JAMES J. GOUGH.

